[EnglishLanguage 1632] Re: scaffold for college essays forsecondlanguage learners

kathleen morgan dezreen at excite.com
Wed Aug 1 13:10:08 EDT 2007

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Thanks for your ideas, Heidi. My writing projects are heavily modeled and I believe that process helps students a lot. My groups are quite small, under 10 students, so we typically work as a group with some pair-share time.

Our first assignment is 'Who Are You?". There are a number of questions for them to answer that require both straight forward (What is your name? Where were you born? How old are you?) and open ended responses (What is your favorite activity and why? What music do you like and why?).

Using a picture from a magazine, we create a fictional character and the students generate the information as we move through the brainstorming/planning stage. I teach both web and list formats for planning. Our last character was a picture of Michael Jordon, but he was a salsa dancing star. They create their plan after we create one in class and move on from there.Then we move step by step through the entire process. There is a lot of modeled editing so that they can learn how to edit with peers as well as with a teacher. The large copies of our plans, rough draft, etc. are posted for them to reference and pull language from.

--- On Wed 08/01, Wrigley, Heide < heide at literacywork.com > wrote:
From: Wrigley, Heide [mailto: heide at literacywork.com]
To: dezreen at excite.com, englishlanguage at nifl.gov
Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 12:18:58 -0400
Subject: RE: [EnglishLanguage 1625] Re: scaffold for college essays forsecondlanguage learners

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Hi, Kathleeen and all <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Thanks for the description of what you do with your students and what
works for you - I think the Writing Process works for many students and teachers.
But I've seen some research lately that suggests that for struggling writes (just
about all of us who've had to write in another language),
a second process works very well for struggling writers.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

This research suggests that the following makes a difference: <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Show students models of what good writing looks like (using the
same genre and same level of sophistication that you are looking for)<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Modelling both the thinking process and the writing process
- in other words demonstrating what you do as you think of ideas and write them
down through Think-Alouds,for
example<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Starting with a common topic to keep everyone on the
same page in the songbook, asking students to work in pairs to discuss the topic,
brainstorm ideas and then write draft to share with others. They use a similar
process (Think Alouds) as the share their thinking (it’s
all part of “cognitive apprenticeship”<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Apparently, the modeling by the teacher and the pair
(or small group work) are critical to allow for enough of the Observe -Talk-and
Think time . It’s important as well that everyone
start with the same topic since it’s hard to interest students in anyone else
topic, I’ve found – But they may be interested in reading what others
had to say on the same topic. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

When I taught second language writers as part of freshman
comp and developmental ed, I often had students brainstorm
on day 1 and then draft an essay the next day to allow ideas to percolate for awhile.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Has anyone tried the approach above (Modelling with Think Alouds; pair
practice with a common topic; students’ demonstrating their essays using some
variation of Think Alouds and how did that work for you?
<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Heide <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Heide Spruck Wrigley<o:p></o:p>

<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Mesilla</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">New Mexico</st1:State></st1:place> <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

3. -----Original Message----- 
From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of kathleen
morgan 
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 4:45 PM 
To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov 
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 1625] Re: scaffold for college essays forsecondlanguage learners

<o:p> </o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

If you don't get ideas from this list, I suggest looking around online
for college essay 'tips' to help guide you in creating a scaffold. Some
colleges require a prompt to answer and others are more open ended. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Two things I always include in teaching writing to this age group is
the writing process and using a rubric. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

The writing process - brainstorm, plan, rough draft, edit, rewrite,
publish - is taught with visuals and body motions for each step. Reading the prompt,
brainstorming and planning are guided so that the class is working at about the
same pace. Then they start writing and editing with me, which can get a little
chaotic. They write their names on the board when ready to edit with me and
start word processing if waiting for me. Typing takes much more time than I
ever predict. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

My students use writing folders where all their work in the process is
kept. When they come to edit with me, they have to bring their folder so that
we can reference their prior copies if needed. This has really helped students
see immediate gains in their writing. They have a copy of the rubric in their
folder which we reference throughout the process to make sure they understand
where they are and what more they need to do. It is also a great form of
assessment. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Kathleen Morgan<o:p></o:p>

<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Telluride</st1:City>
<st1:State w:st="on">CO</st1:State></st1:place><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

 --- On Tue 07/31,
=?iso-8859-1?Q?Eugenio_Longoria_S=E1enz?= < ezl109 at psu.edu > wrote:<o:p></o:p>

From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Eugenio_Longoria_S=E1enz?= [mailto:
ezl109 at psu.edu]<o:p></o:p>

To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov<o:p></o:p>

Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:19:03 -0400<o:p></o:p>

Subject: [EnglishLanguage 1623] scaffold for college essays for second language learners<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

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<span<o:p></o:p>

style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Hello ecveryone,
<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I am working with a group of
high school<o:p></o:p>

migrant students at a leadership camp. I am helping then produce
a personal<o:p></o:p>

statement for a college application. Yesterday was the first time
we had a<o:p></o:p>

writing lab. Things went well, but there is a lot of work to be
done. These are<o:p></o:p>

great kids and their dream is to go to
college.<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I am wondering if anyone out
there has possibly<o:p></o:p>

designed a scaffold for writing college essays. I am going to try
and design<o:p></o:p>

one myself, but if anyone on this list already has, I would appreciate
your<o:p></o:p>

help and suggestions.
<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Regards,
<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Eugenio Longoria
Sáenz<o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

</o:p>

10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> <o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p>

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